Golf swing training device

ABSTRACT

An elongated shaft is provided of a length substantially equal to the length of a driver golf club and one end of the shaft is provided with a hand-grip similar to those provided on golf clubs. The other end of the shaft has an enlarged abutment thereon spaced from the terminal end thereof and a weight member is provided having a bore formed therethrough of a size to snugly receive the terminal end portion of the shaft remote from the handgrip therethrough with the weight member slidable on the shaft, but lightly frictionally held in position thereon. The weight is preferably constructed of shape retentive rubber or plastic and the entire combination consisting of the shaft, the weight member and the abutment member is of a total weight and balance equivalent to the weight and balance of a driver golf club.

United States Patent [1 1 Staples 1 July 29, 1975 [54] GOLF SWINGTRAINING DEVICE [76] Inventor: William N. Staples,--2 Howard Ct.,

Newport News, Va. 23601 [22] Filed: Aug. 16, 1974 [21] Appl. No.:498,244

[52] US. Cl 273/186 A; 273/193 R; 273/58 A; 124/5 [51} Int. Cl A63b69/36 [58] Field of Search 273/186, 194, 96 B, 58 D, 273/193; 124/5 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,168,808 l/1916 Hoffmann 124/52,388,463 11/1945 Benecke 273/186 A 2,705,148 3/1955 Waller 124/5 X2,902,023 9/1959 Waller 124/5 3,351,346 11/1967 Strahan 273/186 A3,434,722 3/1969 Esposito 273/186 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONSUnited Kingdom 124/5 Primary ExaminerGeorge .1, Marlo Attorney, Agent,or Firm-Clarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson 5 7 ABSTRACT An elongatedshaft is provided of a length substantially equal to the length of adriver golf club and one end of the shaft is provided with a hand-gripsimilar to those provided on golf clubs. The other end of the shaft hasan enlarged abutment thereon spaced from the terminal end thereof and aweight member is provided having a bore formed therethrough of a size tosnugly receive the terminal end portion of the shaft remote from thehandgrip therethrough with the weight member slidable on the shaft, butlightly fric- *tional1y held in position thereon. The weight ispreferably constructed of shape retentive rubber or plastic and theentire combination consisting of the shaft, the weight member and theabutment member is of a total weight and balance equivalent to theweight and balance of a driver golf club.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures GOLF SWING TRAINING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Heretofore various types of golf swing training devices havebeen designed but many of these have been specifically designed toimprove only one particular portion of a golfers swing. As an example,some golf swing training devices have been designed to improve thegolfers follow-through while other training devices have been designedto improve the snap action of the wrists of a golfer at the bottom of agolf swing. Also, some golf swing training devices have beenspecifically designed to assist in improving the backswing of a golfer.

Examples of golf swing training devices and other devices includingstructural features somewhat similar to the various structural featuresof the instant invention may be found in US. Pat. Nos. 1,527,532,1,529,851, l,556,794, 2,288,463, 3,136,546 and 3,434,722.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The golf swing practice device of theinstant invention has been designed in a manner whereby a golfer mayimprove his backswing, the breaking of his wrists at the bottom of hisgolf swing, his follow-through and proper body attitude and clubacceleration during the downstroke of a golf swing.

It is unusual to find a golf swing training device which is capable ofenabling a golfer to practice upon and im' prove more than one portionof his golf swing and even more unusual to find a golf swing trainingdevice which is capable of enabling a golfer to practice and to improveupon four different aspects of his golf swing.

The main object of this invention is to provide a multi-purpose golfswing training device which will be capable of enabling a golfer topractice and improve upon more than one aspect of his golf swing.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediatelypreceding object, is to provide a golf swing training device which maybe used to practice and improve upon a golfers backswing, his downswing,the breaking of his wrists at the bottom of his stroke and hisfollow-through.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide a golf swing training device which will conform toconventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy touse so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, longlasting and trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thegolf swing practice device of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the end ofthetraining device remote from the handgrip end portion thereof andillustrating the manner in which the enlarged weight is mounted on theend of the shaft portion of the training device;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a golfer using the training device ofthe instant invention in a manner properly depicting the backstroke of agolf swing;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view illustrating a golfer using the trainingand illustrating a proper downswing;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a golfer using the training device andillustrating an improper backswing; and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a golfer using the training deviceillustrating an improper downswing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now more specifically tothe drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the golf swingpractice device of the instant invention. The practice device 10includes a tapered shaft 12 of a length and diameter generallycorresponding to the length and diameter of a conventional golf club.One end of the shaft is provided with a substantially conventionalhandgrip l4 and the other end portion of the shaft 12 is provided with adiametrically enlarged disc-shaped abutment l6 fixedly attached to theshaft 12 inany convenient manner a spaced distance from the end thereofremote from the handgrip 14.

In addition to the shaft 12, handgrip l4 and abutment 16, the practicedevice 10 includes a spherical weight member 18 having a diametric bore20 formed there through in which a sleeve 22 is secured. The weightmember 18 is preferably constructed of shape-retentive rubber or plasticand the weight member 18 is telescoped onto the end portion of the shaft12 remote from the handgrip 14; The fit of the shaft 12 in the sleeve 22is such that the weight member 18 is slidable on the shaft 12 butlightly frictionally retained in position on the shaft 12.

With reference now more specifically to FIG. 3 of the drawings it may beseen that a golfer 24 is illustrated using the golf swing practicedevice 10 in a manner to illustrate the termination of a properbackswing whereby the shaft 12 is slightly upwardly inclined away fromthe handgrip 14 in a manner such that the weight member 18 may not fallby gravity from the corresponding end of the shaft 12. On the otherhand, with attention invited to FIG. 5, the golfer 24 is illustratedusing the golf swing practice device 10 in a manner to illustrate animproper backswing wherein the free end of the shaft 12 is downwardlyinclined so as to enable the weight member 18 to fall by gravity behindthe golfer 24 to the ground. Of course, the backswing illustrated inFIG. 5 is too excessive and therefore the free end of the shaft 12 isdownwardly inclined allowing the weight member 18 to slide off the shaft12 onto the ground.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG. 4 of the drawingsthe golfer 24 is illustrated using the golf swing practice device 10 ina manner to illustrate a proper downswing whereby the wrists remaincocked and the free end of the shaft 12 remains in an upwardly inclinedposition immediately prior to the wrists of the golfer 24 reaching theirlowermost point of the swing. In this manner, the shaft 12 is graduallyaccelerated in a downward direction with the free end thereof in anupwardly inclined position and the weight member 18 is retained bygravity on the free end of the shaft 12.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG. 6 of the drawings,the golfer 24 is illustrated using the golf swing practice device 10) inan improper manner with his wrists in a straightened condition prior tothe bottom of the swing and thus the free end of the shaft 12 in aconsiderably downwardly inclined position such that the weight member 18falls to the ground in front of the golfer 24 to his extreme right.

If, with attention again invited to FIG. 4, a correct downswing iscontinued past the point illustrated in FIG. 4 and the wrists remaincocked until just prior to the lowermost point of the swing the weightmember 18 will be maintained on the free end of the shaft 12 until thewrists are broken and the weight member 18 will then fall from the freeend of the shaft 12 to the front of and closely adjacent the golfer 24.Likewise, if the proper downswing such as that illustrated in FIG. 4 iscarried out and the wrists 18 break at the lowest point of the golfswing the follow-through executed by the golfer is substantiallyassured. Accordingly. the golf swing training device of the instantinvention is operative to assist a golfer with four aspects of his golfswing.

The length, weight and balance of the entire golf swing practice deviceincluding the shaft 12, the abutment 16 and the weight member 18substantially duplicates the length, weight and balance of aconventional golf club and the shaft 12 may of course be made indifferent lengths for golfers of different sizes.

The abutment member 16 may be constructed of any suitable materialcapable of being fixed in position on the shaft 12 and weight members ofslightly different weights may be provided to vary the overall weightand balance of the practice device according to the weight and balanceof the clubs of the golfer intending to use the practice device 10.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A straight elongated shaft having a handgrip on one first end portionthereof, the second end portion of said shaft being cylindrical.tapering toward the terminal end thereof and free of enlargementsthroughout at least a predetermined length thereof, a generallyspherical weight member having a substantially constant diametercylindrical passage formed therethrough on a diameter of said weightmember and of a size to snugly receive said tapering second end portiontherethrough with a larger diameter portion of said tapered second endportion lightly frictionally seated in the end of said passage remotefrom the terminal end of said second end portion. the length, weight andlengthwise balance of said shaft, with said weight member thereon.closely approximating the length, weight and lengthwise balance of aconventional golf driving club. said weight member being lightlyfrictionally retained in position on said tapered second end portion ata point spaced a predetermined distance from the terminal end thereof,but being freely slidable thereon upon slight shifting of said weightmember toward the terminal end of said second end portion.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said passage is defined by theinterior of an open-ended sleeve secured through said weight member.

1. A straight elongated shaft having a handgrip on one first end portionthereof, the second end portion of said shaft being cylindrical,tapering toward the terminal end thereof and free of enlargementsthroughout at least a predetermined length thereof, a generallyspherical weight member having a substantially constant diametercylindrical passage formed therethrough on a diameter of said weightmember and of a size to snugly receive said tapering second end portiontherethrough with a larger diameter portion of said tapered second endportion lightly frictionally seated in the end of said passage remotefrom the terminal end of said second end portion, the length, weight andlengthwise balance of said shaft, with said weight member thereon,closely approximating the length, weight and lengthwise balance of aconventional golf driving club, said weight member being lightlyfrictionally retained in position on said tapered second end portion ata point spaced a predetermined distance from the terminal end thereof,but being freely slidable thereon upon slight shifting of said weightmember toward the terminal end of said second end portion.
 2. Thecombination of claim 1 wherein said passage is defined by the interiorof an open-ended sleeve secured through said weight member.